Chrysanthemum plant named Jazz

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Jazz having anemone flower form, white ray floret color, bright yellow disc florets, seven week flowering response; compact, cushion growth habit, and freely branching and profuse flowering habits.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar nameJazz.

Jazz is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objectiveof creating new Chrysanthemum cultivars with compact growth habit, whiteray florets, early flowering, and anemone type flowers making itsuitable for production as a garden mum. Such traits in combination werenot present or needed improvement in previously available commercialcultivars.

Jazz was originated from a hybridization made in a controlled breedingprogram is Westfiled Woking, England by Leonard Shoesmith in 1980. boththe female and male parents are unknown at this time.

Jazz was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated parentage by Peter S. Hesse in November 1981 in acontrolled environment in Parrish, Fla.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Jazz was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in March 1982in a controlled environment in Parrish, Fla. by a technician workingunder formulations established and supervised by Peter S. Hesse.Horticultural examination of selected units initiated in September 1982has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as hereindisclosed for Jazz are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristic of Jazz, which in combination distinguish thisChrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Seven week flower response.

2. White ray florets, and disc florets which are bright yellow whenimmature fading to a soft yellow when mature.

3. Anemone flower form.

4. Ray florets are up to 25 mm long and 8 mm wide and flat.

5. Disc florets are up to 13 mm long and 3 mm wide and are funnelform.

6. Total flower diameter reaches 5.2 cm.

7. Compact, cushion growth habit.

8. Freely branching and profuse flowering.

9. Suitable for use as a garden mum for production in 41/2" to 1 galloncontainers.

Jazz has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment suchas temperature, light intensity, and day length. The followingobservations, measurements and comprisons describe plants grown inParrish, Fla. under greenhouse conditions which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventors, themost similar in comparison to Jazz is Carmella. In comparison toCarmella, Jazz has a white flower with a yellow anemone center, is oneweek earlier in flower response, and has a more compact habit. Theflower size and form of Jazz are similar to those same characteristicsof Carmella.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical inflorescence andfoliage characteristics of Jazz. Sheet 1 is a black and whitephotograph, with a few flowers hand painted to depict the true discfloret color of Jazz.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determinedbetween 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 21, 1987 under fluorescent light atParrish, Fla.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium, cv. Jazz.

Commercial.--Anemone garden mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--Up to 5.2 cm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--White.

Color (upper surface).--155D.

Color (under surface).--155D.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--5D.

Color (immature).--7A.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present in disc florets only.

Gynoecium.--Present in both disc and ray florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--20 cm when grown in the ground, given no long days and onepinch. Height will vary depending upon growing conditions.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Ovate, deeply lobed with serrate margins.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant namedJazz, as illustrated and described, and parts thereof.